Greek Music
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“Bouzouki, a Greek folk instrument”
The bouzouki is a stringed instrument, which belongs to the family of the long-necked lutes. Instruments of a similar shape can be found in Pre-Hellenic civilizations (Egypt, Assyria, China, India). In ancient Greece, the same instrument was known under the name “pandouris”, and from Byzantium onwards, it became known as the “tambouras”. On display in the National Archaeological Museum of Greece is the “tambouras” of General Makriyiannis, hero of the 1821 Greek revolution. This “tambouras” bears the main morphological characteristics of the bouzouki used by the rebetes.
The bouzouki has a pear-shaped sound-box and a fret board of about 60-70cm in length, populated with metallic frets. It has three double metallic strings (each pair tuned in unison). At some point in the 1960s, a fourth string was adopted into the bouzouki’s configuration. Regarding the intervals, the new tuning became identical to the first four strings of the traditional guitar.
The Bouzouki was reintroduced and brought to Greece by immigrants from Asia Minor and Turkey in the early 1900’s. The Trichordo Bouzouki, has three pairs of strings, each pair tuned the same. The bouzouki is played with a pick, but in the past it was played with a feather or a piece of wood carved from a cherry tree. This helps to create the distinctive sound of Bouzouki playing. In the early part of the 20th century the “Rebetes” played the Bouzouki and the (baglama), later they added the guitar for chords. The (baglama) is a smaller version of the Bouzouki. The baglama is tuned exactly like the (trichordo) Bouzouki. The baglama was an easy instrument to carry because of its small size. Today the baglama is used to add colour and to give a precise, distinct, vibrato sound to the composition.
In the 1950’s the bouzouki with four pairs of strings was introduced. The three strings limited the musician to playing the “Rebetika” songs only. The four strings gave a new dimension to the capabilities of the instrument. The chords played on the Bouzouki are the same as a guitar. A distinct characteristic of the Bouzouki is the taxim.
In 1960 Greek music was rapidly gaining worldwide recognition. “Never on Sunday” served to highlight the fact that the Greeks had something new and fresh to offer to those of us who had been nourished on French, Italian and Spanish popular music. The dynamic Greek sound—The Bouzouki and the colourful, vigorous and unusual rhythms of Greece soon captured the ear and fancy of the devotees of Continental music. Although the bouzouki was and is the main lead instrument of the “Rebetika” and “laika” songs it does not stop there. With some fantasy and daring compositions unusual sounds of creativity can be produced.
Would you like to listen to some Greek music based on bouzouki?
Twenty seven students of Greek heritage headed off for a sun-field Summer Camp Tour in Rhodes.